The Stillhouse

Simply speaking, distillation is the process of heating liquid
wash until it boils, capturing and cooling the resultant hot
vapours and then collecting the condensed liquid alcohol. Bowmore
has two large Wash Stills and two smaller Spirit Stills. After
double distillation, the 'Middle Cut' is collected for filling into
cask.

Alcoholic vapour passes up over the neck of the still, along
the lyne arm, into the condenser where it's condensed into liquid
alcohol.

Everything that comes from the stills must pass through the
Spirit Safe, where we collect the Middle Cut or 'heart of the
run'.

The New Make Spirit, which is clear like water, has an average
strength of 69% ABV.

Purified water is used to reduce the strength to 63.5%
ABV.

Your Guide is

Eddie

Distillery Manager

Eddie began his days at Bowmore in July 1966 working in
the warehouses. He then moved to the Maltbarns gradually
working throughout the distillery before earning his title as
Manager in 2006.

Guide

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Visit our island

While our virtual tour gives a flavour of what to expect,
there's really no substitute for visiting Islay in person and
experiencing the unique atmosphere inside Bowmore's legendary No. 1
Vaults for yourself. Our essential guide will start you on your
way.

About Bowmore

Founded over two centuries ago in 1779, Bowmore is the first recorded distillery
on Islay (pronounced ‘eye-la’) and one of the oldest in the whole of Scotland. Islay
malts are renowned for their peaty smokiness and Bowmore is no exception. We carefully
smoke our malt in a peat-fired kiln, just as our ancestors did over 200 years ago.

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